


Even Keel

by TigerLily



Category: CSI: Miami, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-02 18:49:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5259743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TigerLily/pseuds/TigerLily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony and Horatio work through a rough patch in their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Even Keel

“Jarvis is there anything that desperately needs my attention?” Tony inquired of his artificial intelligence between yawns as he pushed away from his work bench. He stretched and winced when he heard his back crack, which told him he had spent too much time doing binge science.

“Nothing that Miss Potts nor Mister Caine cannot handle themselves,” Jarvis smoothly replied as he started shutting down the lab for the night.

“Good,” Tony murmured. He stood up with another jaw cracking yawn. He was going to crash soon. “Speaking of Mister Caine, where is he?”

“In his suite relaxing.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

“Shall I inform him that you will be joining him?”

“Nah,” Tony said stepping out of the lab and heading for the elevator that would take him to the living quarters of the Tower. “He needs his time away from me.”

“Of course,” Jarvis agreed for argument’s sake.

“Are you sassing me, J?”

“Never, sir.”

“Sure you weren’t,” Tony mumbled. He had programmed Jarvis to be self-evolving and wasn’t surprised that he had acquired his penchant for sarcasm.

*&*

Tony slipped into his spacious tub with a quiet sigh. He settled into the hot water and bubbles feeling all the tension and stress finally leave his body.

He closed his eyes and relaxed against the tub wall resting his head on a rolled up towel.

*&*

A soft whistle woke Tony from his light doze.

“Unh?” he asked opening his eyes and sitting up. He barely noticed that the water he was sitting in was cooler than he liked as he caught sight of a casually dressed Horatio leaning in the open doorway between the bathroom and the bedroom.

“This pretty tame for a man who is considered by many as a wild and crazy guy,” Horatio committed with a wry grin.

“That’s a phrase that should have stayed in the seventies,” Tony retorted with a grimace not like being reminded that he was a product of that decade. “So what’s up, Red?”

“Jarvis said you were taking a bubble bath and I had to see for myself,” Horatio answered. He glided into the room and leaned against the side of the tub.

“I’d invite you to join me, but the water has grown cold.”

“I could slip in there and help you heat it up again,” Horatio suggested allowing his grin to morph into a sly smirk.

“I would love to take you up on that, but I’m too tired to be of much help,” Tony said with a soft chuckle of self derision.

“More’s the pity,” Horatio murmured. 

“I know,” Tony agreed.

“Then that leaves drying you off and tucking you into bed.”

“Are you offering to snuggle with me as well?”

“I think that could be arranged.”

“Hmm...” Tony hummed. “I never took you for the snuggling kind.”

“We all have our little secrets,” Horatio replied holding out his hand to Tony.

“So it would seem,” Tony remarked catching hold of Horatio’s hand and allowing the redhead to help out of the tub and dry him off.

*&*&*

Tony curled into Horatio’s side resting his head on the redhead’s chest. “Sorry about earlier,” he apologized.

“No worries,” Horatio said as he ran his fingers through Tony’s hair. “We all have bad days.”

“I didn’t have to take mine out on you.”

“No,” Horatio agreed dropping a soft kiss on Tony’s temple. “But, I’ve got thick skin.”

“That sounds like a theory we need to test some time,” Tony said between yawns.

“Maybe tomorrow,” Horatio suggested relieved that Tony was finally winding down. “And only if you leave the tickler in the closet.”

“That would be taking all the fun out of scientific discovery.”

“Be that as it may.”

“Alright, no tickler,” Tony agreed. “I’ll just do the testing the old fashion way.”

“That’s if you can catch me,” Horatio countered in a murmur.

“I sense a challenge,” Tony said raising his head to look Horatio directly in the eye.

“Sense it later,” Horatio softly commanded as he pushed Tony’s head back down on his chest.

“Party pooper.”

“Go to sleep.”

“Yes, dear,” Tony yawned again and then closed his eyes.

“Love you, too,” Horatio quietly said once he heard Tony start to softly snore and thus getting in the final word for once.

*&*&*

Horatio slowly woke to Tony quietly saying, “Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey.”

“No more Monty Python for you,” he grumbled between yawns.

“Don’t be that way, snookums,” Tony said as he helped Horatio sit up and lean against the head board. He then handed the redhead a cup of coffee. “I arranged for us to have breakfast in bed.”

Horatio took a sip of coffee and sighed. “The café downstairs?” he asked.

“Yes,” Tony replied. He picked up a piece of bacon and bit into it. “After last time, I figured it was best to let someone else do the cooking.”

“Good,” Horatio murmured as he finished his coffee. He set the cup on the tray that Tony had placed on the bed between them. “I’m all for practice making perfect. I’m just not in the mood to be practiced on.”

“Oh, you’re so cute,” Tony grumbled before handing Horatio a piece of toast.

“And loveable,” Horatio quipped before taking a bite.

“That’s my line.”

“Do you have it copyrighted?”

“Maybe I should have Pepper look into that,” Tony said with a thoughtful expression as he munched on his second piece of toast.

“Do you have a death wish?”

“Huh? What?”

“Do you get off making people mad?” Horatio asked out of curiosity. “Is that a thing for you?”

“No,” Tony softly answered. “Well, not anymore. I guess there are still times when I forget to think before I speak and somebody gets hurt.”

“It’s part of being human,” Horatio quietly remarked.

“Not a fun part.”

“No,” Horatio admitted. “It’s not.”

“I think we need to start this day over,” Tony said with a rueful grin.

“And, why’s that?”

“It’s too early in the day to be so serious.”

“How would you like to restart the day?”

“We finish breakfast,” Tony answered.

“And then?”

“We play hooky by staying in bed all day.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Horatio said with a playful grin. He leaned over and captured Tony’s mouth in a kiss that was both soft and playful.

Tony deepened the kiss content in the knowledge that he and Horatio’s relationship was once more on an even keel.


End file.
